EWTN is the first Catholic organization to file suit to stop the contraception mandate since the final HHS rules were published by the Obama administration on January 20, 2012. The lawsuit was filed on EWTN's behalf by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. The United States has always protected religious freedom. Many have fought and died for these freedoms. Please sign the Becket Fund's petition asking the Administration to stop this unprecedented assault on religious freedom so that religious employers can stay in business and keep offering health insurance to their employees.

Statement of Michael P. Warsaw, President and Chief Executive Officer of EWTN Global Catholic Network in response to Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the US Government on the HHS Contraceptive Services Mandate Issued Friday, February 1, 2013:

"This morning the US Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on the government mandate that employee health plans must provide contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs as part of their coverage. On February 9, 2012, EWTN was the first organization to file a lawsuit challenging this mandate shortly after the original rules were promulgated by the government. That lawsuit is still pending in the US District Court in Birmingham, Alabama.

We have analyzed today's notice with our legal team from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the initial conclusions are not promising. First, this is simply a notice of a proposed rule; it is not an actual rule that changes anything. Second, while the proposed rules might expand the mandate's religious exemption for some organizations affiliated directly with the Church, it does not appear that EWTN will qualify for this exemption. Third, the proposed rules have not dealt with the concerns of self-insured health plans like EWTN's. Today's notice from the government simply kicks this can further down the road.

Sadly, throughout this proposed rule, the government continues to make the erroneous assertion that contraception, sterilization and abortion-inducing drugs are health care. They are not.

We will continue to study this notice with our attorneys, but are highly doubtful it will provide EWTN with any relief from this immoral mandate. EWTN remains firmly committed to pressing forward with our case in the Federal Courts and will take all steps necessary to challenge this unjust mandate."

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.